My Choice
by Barefoot XO
Summary: Ginny's cousin, the 'accountant' gives her a pep talk at Dumbledore's funeral. HP/GiW. XH/?.


I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Harry Potter. They belong to Joss Whedon and Joanne K. Rowling respectively.

This fic takes place Post Chosen and during HBP (The White Tomb)

This fic is not recommended for RonW/HG fans...

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_**My Choice**_

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"Think how much danger you'll be in if we keep this up…"

The words echoed through Ginny Weasley's mind like a broken record. She couldn't believe that Harry was going to leave her behind on the horcrux quest. She'd followed him to the Ministry with a song in her heart, taking a broken ankle for the cause. She'd stood guard for him in Hogwarts, going into battle on his behalf whilst Harry was out with Dumbledore. And now he wants to end things and go it alone?

What made it all the more galling was that Harry was almost certainly taking Hermione and Ron into combat with him. Why was she the one to get left behind?

"It sucks, doesn't it? Being left out for your own 'protection', as if anyone in your situation is truly safe."

Ginny turned around to find her distant cousin standing behind her. "And you know anything about this sort of thing, Alex?"

Alex grinned in response. "More then you can possibly imagine, coz. How does it feel to be the Zeppo of your generation?"

"The What-o?"

The grin never wavered. "Never mind. You wizard types wouldn't know anything about Zeppo Marx. The question you should be asking is what you're gonna do about Potter's little ultimatum to you."

"He's the Chosen One, Alex. He doesn't want me to go with him. What exactly would you say I can do about it?"

Alex snorted in disgust. "Chosen One, shmosen one, Gin-gin. It doesn't mean a darn thing in the grand scheme. All it means is that he has no choice but to be involved. It doesn't give him any mystical right to decide who else gets to be."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "What exactly would you know about it, Alex? Mom says you're an accountant."

Another disgusted snort escaped her cousin. "Your mother wouldn't known an accountant if it tattooed a balance sheet on her butt. I'm an assassin, assigned to a wetworks team affiliated with the Watchers' Council. I take executive actions on Slayers or Mages that have joined the dark side and are believed to be beyond redemption."

"Executive action. That's like, firing them or something, right?"

"Or something…"

Something in Alex's voice caused a shiver to crawl up her spine. "What should I do about it, Alex? He's already said that he doesn't want me there. It's his choice."

The older man shook his head sadly. "That's not so, Ginny. Harry doesn't get a choice in this. Children of destiny always have limited choices. It's sad, but true.

"People like you and me, though, Ginny… We have a choice. We can let our resident Chosen One walk all over us, usually marching to their death, or we can make the choice to stand up and be counted. Your choice, Ginny. It is your choice.

"Life doesn't offer many opportunities to you, Ginny. Your involvement in this war was guaranteed the moment you were born. You're a Weasley, and that meant you were going to be involved, based solely on who your family is. You can stick your head in the sand like Harry is asking, but that won't keep you safe. All it does is make you an easy target.

"No Ginny. Your choice is before you, right now… Soldier or victim? Harry wants to lock you up in some fairy tale tower, where you'll be safe. Ask yourself this though... Is he going to respect you if you let him?"

Ginny felt her gut freeze at Alex's conclusion. Harry respected strong women. That's what had drawn him to her this year. If he liked the weakling type, he'd have stayed with Cho Chang. "You really think he wants me with him?"

Alex laughed humourlessly. "Of course he doesn't. He loves you too much to want you in the line of fire. I'm saying he won't respect you if you aren't there with him. And let me tell you this, no relationship lasts without respect. Take your brother and that brunette friend of his. That relationship is doomed."

Ginny's back went up. "How dare you? Ron loves Hermione."

Her cousin snorted in disgust. "I'm sure he does. It's irrelevant. He doesn't respect her and she doesn't respect him. She thinks he's an idiot. No respect. He thinks she's too rule-bound. No respect. I've watched them since I've come here. They fight too much."

Ginny shrugged. "It's UST."

Another snort was Alex's response to that comment. "UST only explains so much, Gin. I learned a long time ago that a relationship can't last based on arguments, interspersed with the odd fit of passion. That's where Cordy and I went wrong."

Ginny didn't know or even care who Cordy was. She also decided to put aside her brother's relationship with Hermione. It was none of her business anyway. All she really cared about was the fact that her cousin seemed to understand what she was going through. "All right then, smart-guy. What would you tell the Chosen One if you were in my situation?"

A distant look appeared on her cousin's face, with a smile tugging at the edge of his lips. It was almost like he was recalling a memory, but Ginny thought that was ridiculous. "My choice. Not yours. You might be the Chosen One, but I chose all on my own. You have no right to sideline me because, in the end, that choice belongs to me. It's my choice and no one else's."

Something about the way Alex spoke suggested that he knew where he was coming from. "You think it will convince him?"

The man shrugged as if he didn't care. "It doesn't matter if you convince him. What matters is that you convince yourself. You need to believe that it's your choice and then act on it. To hell with Harry's choice. It's not his to make. He may not be happy with you in the short-term, but he will respect you in the long-term."

"But what if he doesn't need me?"

"He needs you. I guarantee it. Without you he'll doubtless walk into a trap in less then a month. Chosen Ones need people like us to keep them on their toes."

Ginny smiled uncertainly. "Thanks, Alex. I'll see you at Bill's wedding?"

The man smirked. "Count on it, Gin-gin."

As he watched Ginny trot off to try and catch Harry, he felt a pair of deceptively delicate arms snake around his waist. "You think they'll be alright?"

The owner of the arms smiled into Xander's back. "They'll be just fine, Xan. You okay?"

Xander's trademark grin lost a hint of its lustre. "Just remembering a few times when I was in Gin's position."

"I'm sorry I did that to you, Xan. You know that, right?"

"I do."

"Xander?"

"Yep?"

"I'm glad you made the choice you did."

"So am I, Buff. So am I…"

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This goes out to all the HP/GiW and XH/BS fans out there. You know who you are... ;)

Jasper


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